OSOGBO —FOLLOWING the local government area elections conducted last Saturday, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State, yesterday, accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of plotting to foment trouble in the state.
This came as elected Chairmen and Councillors on the platform of the APC resumed in some local government council secretariats despite the withdrawal of services by workers.
Similarly, the newly inaugurated chairmen and councillors elected on the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, last Saturday, stayed away from the secretariats in line with the directive of Governor Adeleke after their inauguration on Sunday.
On his part, the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Osun State, Mr Christopher Arapasopo, yesterday, directed its members working in the various councils to withdraw their services.
You’re plotting big crisis, APC accuses Adeleke
The APC, in a statement by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi alleged that Governor Adeleke has concluded plans to attack the legally-reinstated chairmen and councillors through Amotekun Corps and non-state actors imported from Oyo State and the Niger Delta.
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Olabisi said: “These militants are the same criminals notorious for kidnapping people for ransom in their region, and they have now been drafted to the state to unleash terror on our people.
“To provide cover for this sinister move is the Amotekun Corps, led by a controversial ex-police officer and former Chief Security Officer to Governor Ademola Adeleke, CSP Adekunle Omoyele (retd). The men of the Amotekun Corps are to provide hooded clothes and masks to hide their identities and escape justice after perpetrating their evil acts.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we urge the security agents to visit the official quarters of some top government officials at the Government House as at the time of issuing this press statement, it would be discovered that the mini-field of the building is bubbling like a military training ground with the amalgamation of suspected cultists, hoodlums and militants drawn from outside the state.
“We decided to raise this alarm based on our ugly experience last week.”
Gov has ensured peace — Spokesperson
In a swift reaction, Governor Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed in a statement, described the APC’s allegations as baseless, saying the governor has so far ensured that peace reigned in the state.
Rasheed said: “From the beginning of the face-off, the state Governor, being a security expert and a criminologist, had deployed his skills of conflict resolution to sustain peace even with the worst of provocations. The mapping of the entire state revealed that the opposition APC was mainly interested in burning the state down and destroying the elected political structures. Mr Governor smartly denied the APC the fuel for its arsonistic plan.
“The outcome is the peace we are enjoying today in Osun state. Osun people are peacefully running their lives with huge gratitude to the Governor. The APC on the contrary is in severe pain for all its destructive plans against Osun and her people have failed.
“So the opposition resorted to blackmail and name-calling. Neither the visiting governors nor any government officials imported any hoodlums into the state. Governors Seyi Makinde and Bala Muhammed came to Osun on a solidarity peace mission based on their statutory positions within the Governors’ Forum and their message was that parties to the face-off should abide by the rule of law and avoid illegal self-help.”
APC council officials resume at secretariats
Meanwhile, elected APC Chairmen and Councillors, yesterday, resumed in some council secretariats despite the withdrawal of services by workers.
Similarly, the newly inaugurated PDP chairmen and councillors elected last Saturday stayed away from the secretariats in line with Governor Adeleke’s directive.
The APC and PDP have been battling over the control of council areas following judgements of a Federal High Court and Appeal Court.
However, checks by Vanguard showed that chairmen and Councillors, elected on the APC platform, resumed at the secretariats in many council areas; including Olorunda, Ife-Central, Boluwaduro and Ejigbo among others.
When contacted a chieftain of the APC, Mr Jamiu Olawumi said: “All chairmen and councillors have resumed in all local government areas in Osun State including Irewole.
“The security is tight; we have responsible police officers, DSS and Civil Defence. They are doing their jobs as directed by the Inspector General of Police.”
When TodayPriceNG visited some council secretariats, police operatives were visible to avert a possible crisis.
NLC to LG workers: Don’t resume work
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Osun State, Mr Christopher Arapasopo has directed council workers to withdraw their services.
Arapasopo, in a statement, said the union would not jeopardise the safety of its members.
The statement reads: “The Osun State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, strongly affirms her earlier release notifying all Local Government Area Workers in the State to withdraw their services as a result of the political upheaval within their workplaces still subsist while continuing in their prayers for the state.
“This release further reiterates that our members’ safety at work is of high priority and we will not allow our members to work in an atmosphere of insecurity.
“The Osun State Council of the NLC remains resolute in its commitment to defending the rights and interests of workers and the masses. We shall not be cowed or intimidated by these desperate attempts to silence us. We stand firm in our resolve to uphold justice, fairness, and the rule of law in our beloved state.”
